Extraordinary and Historic Victory for Cuba and United Nations Against the Blockade

CUBA, October 26 2016.- The Cuban resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba” received at United Nations today, a historic support to get 191 votes in favor, none against and only 2 abstentions (United States and Israel).

The Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said in reference to the change of vote of the US delegation that the rectification of the solitary vote by the United States of America in this room has taken 24 years. It has been 24 years (…) of isolation and failure, he said.

At the same time, Rodríguez Parrilla stressed that 58 years of heroic resistance of the Cuban people are at the bottom of what happened at the United Nations. From the podium of the General Assembly, the Cuban foreign minister said: “I’m thinking now on my people, on Fidel and Raúl, on the young Cubans who are the glorious inheritors of this long fight.”

Under the 71st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the international community represented there, expressed a resounding vote against the unilateral US policy against Cuba and in favor of the legitimate right of the Cuban people to decide their future, their sovereignty and self-determination. This majority vote is an expression of the global rejection of the implementation of extraterritorial and punitive measures to a sovereign government, and the maintenance of the longest policy of economic war that a nation has ever been subjected to in the history of mankind. As stated by the representative of Ecuador, the US blockade will remain as an example of abuse of a superpower against a dignified people.

Before the vote, representatives of several nations and different groups and regional and international blocs, including CARICOM, G-77 + China, CELAC, ASEAN, NAM and the African Union, among others, denounced the blockade, and they considered the blockade as the main obstacle to the economic and social development of the Cuban people, which imposition also affects third countries that seek to maintain trade relations with Cuba.

They considered also that the unjust US policy contravenes the principles and spirit of the UN Charter to hinder basic benefits for the Cuban people. In this regard, they stressed the importance of multilateralism. Likewise, they reaffirmed their solidarity and support for the Cuban nation in the process of updating its economic model and implementation of the guidelines that seek to expand the welfare of its people.

Since the announcement of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana on December 17, 2014 –and despite the announcement of several packages of measures by the Obama’s administration- the blockade imposed by the United States has remained in force and affects the people of Cuba.